Flash CS3 Documentation

ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference > ActionScript language elements > Operators > - subtraction operator

- subtraction operator

(Negation) -expression
(Subtraction) expression1 - expression2

Used for negating or subtracting.

Usage 1: When used for negating, it reverses the sign of the numerical expression. Usage 2: When used for subtracting, it performs an arithmetic subtraction on two numerical expressions, subtracting expression2 from expression1. When both expressions are integers, the difference is an integer. When either or both expressions are floating-point numbers, the difference is a floating-point number.

Availability: ActionScript 1.0; Flash Player 4

Operands

expression1 : Number - A number or expression that evaluates to a number.

expression2 : Number - A number or expression that evaluates to a number.

Returns

Number - An integer or floating-point number.

Example

Usage 1: The following statement reverses the sign of the expression 2 + 3:

trace(-(2+3)); // output: -5 

Usage 2: The following statement subtracts the integer 2 from the integer 5:

trace(5-2); // output: 3 

The result, 3, is an integer. Usage 3: The following statement subtracts the floating-point number 1.5 from the floating-point number 3.25:

trace(3.25-1.5); // output: 1.75 

The result, 1.75, is a floating-point number.

Flash CS3